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Located in southeastern Michigan, Detroit is the largest city in the state, the 10th largest city in the United States and the eighth largest metropolitan area.
Detroit has had a profound impact on the world – from being the automobile capital of the world to inventing the Motown sound – Detroit has crafted American culture.
No longer the neglected capital of the Midwestern Rust Belt, Detroit's engines are humming. Building on the past glory of Motown and automotive victory, Detroit now has three new casinos, a Riverwalk and the new Comerica Park for the Detroit Tigers. Downtown's Greektown is a hopping zone for nightlife and dining while the Woodward Avenue Theater District is a high-energy street for performance art. The birthplace of Motown music (the Motown Historical Museum is a must), techno and countless major musicians, Detroit still has the country's top live music venues. Soak up Detroit history at the central Hotel Pontchartrain (site of an old French fur trading fort on the Detroit River) while experiencing the new Detroit. Ambitious redevelopment and renovations are sparking excitement in the 303-year old city.

Downtown
Downtown is a stunning concentration of skyscrapers, historical and architecturally beautiful residential and commercial buildings. Downtown is also home to the Detroit Tigers, Lions and Red Wings. Some of Downtown's most notable sites include the Renaissance Center, Greektown, Campus Martius, Hart Plaza and the Riverfront.

Picture waking up and going to breakfast at the city’s hottest breakfast spot. You go to work at your job at a major corporation, and on your lunch break, you enjoy an Indian buffet, then stop for coffee, taking a minute for some fresh air in the park. After work, you stop to browse and buy a magazine at the bookstore, then head over to a bar where you meet friends for a drink. On the way home, you grab a few necessities at the pharmacy.
Now imagine doing all of this by only walking a couple of city blocks, without starting your car, without sitting in traffic. You can do all of this and more in downtown Detroit.

A development boom has transformed the face of downtown Detroit, and this means that the city’s grand old buildings are becoming home sweet home for a growing number of Detroiters.

Whether they live in lofts, condos or apartments, whether their places sit on the river’s edge or along Woodward, whether they have luxury penthouses or intimate lofts, these Downtown dwellers are choosing a quintessential city lifestyle — a walkable, urban life in the center of the city’s business and entertainment district.

Places to live
Set amid the city’s high-rises, downtown Detroit’s residential offerings include lofts, condos and apartments. About 440 new residential units have hit the market downtown in the past few years, and more will be added as new buildings get renovated — meaning the Central Business District is becoming a bona fide neighborhood.

As more planned renovations are completed, including lofts and condos in 1001 Woodward, Broderick Tower, the Iodent Building and the Elliott Building — more high rise buildings will come downtown, and likely more businesses will follow.

Already, though, there is a critical mass of people living downtown, and a real community has formed, says Jane Ford, who lives in Trolley Plaza. “That’s one of the benefits of living downtown,” she says. “I can’t walk somewhere without seeing someone I know."

Walkable lifestyle
Over the past year and a half, Marie Hudson has realized another benefit. She estimates that she drives her car about three times a month. She works at a local business and lives just a few steps across the street in a loft at Merchants Row.

“I never have to leave. I was actually thinking about getting rid of my car,” says Hudson, a mother of three grown-up kids in their 20s who have left the nest. She moved downtown a couple years ago from Bloomfield Hills.

Car-less in the Motor City? Residents who live downtown say being able to have most of their daily needs merely steps from their front doors is one of the perks of living in the heart of the city.

When you live downtown, she says, “Your life takes place right outside your door.”

Still, there are those who live downtown who still have to start their engines now and then. Joseph Ramsey needs his car to make it to Dearborn for his job, but the drive is no big deal from his new apartment in the Kales Building off Grand Circus Park. Plus, the 25-year-old says, he no longer has to commute downtown from Sterling Heights for his entertainment. “Pretty much every weekend I’d be down here at least one night. Why make that commute?”

Detroit Weather
Detroit area temperatures in the summer can climb to 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) with fairly high humidity, but generally the days are a more comfortable 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). Cold winds and snow are a possibility from early November to March so many outdoor attractions close for winter.

Detroit Population Census
We get a lot of questions about how to prepare to cross the border to visit Windsor or vacation in Canada. It really isn't hard the key is to know what to expect and come prepared. Do not forget to save your receipts so you can claim your tax refund at the Duty Free store on your way back to Detroit!
Difficulty: AverageTime required: Varies

Here's How:

Bring proper I.D. By the end of January 2007 you will be required to show a valid Passport when reentering the United States from Canada.

Bringing Kids? If you are bringing your children but not coming with you, make sure you have a letter from the other parent authorizing permission to transport a child across international lines. Otherwise you can pretty much guarantee you'll be turned away.

Expect a vehicle search. The US is doing both targeted vehicle searches on suspicious vehicles but also random searches throughout the day. There is no way to know if your vehicle will be searched, but you should prepare for a vehicle search.

American residents that are traveling to Canada may bring with them:

1.14 Liters of Liquor

1 carton (200 cigarettes)

50 Cigars

Americans may bring up to $60 in Gifts per recipient. (Excluding Alcohol and Tobacco)

Know your wait times. The Canadian Border Crossing keeps track of the wait times at both the bridge and the tunnel. Ambassador Bridge also follows traffic conditions. Times are updated on their website on at least hourly and the page refreshes every ten minutes. Check out your wait times to decide whether you want to hit the tunnel or the bridge.

Prepare to pay the toll. The cost to cross the bridge one-way is $2.75 US or $4.00 Canadian, per vehicle, including motorcycles.

Exchange your currency. Stop at the border stores at either end of the bridge to exchange your currency for Canadian and back again on your return home.

Claim your exemptions. Bring receipts for anything you've bought while visiting Canada and you can get monkey back on the tax and duty you paid. You can claim up to $200 per visit or $800 per month after a 48 hour stay. There are some limits: on a visit under 48 hours, 50 Cigarettes and 10 Cigars (non-Cuban) and 4 oz of alcohol can be claimed duty-free. For visits over 48 hours, 1 liter per adult 21 years of age or older, 200 cigarettes and 100 cigars import limit.

Claim your GST Rebate. As a visitor to Canada you may be eligible for a Sales Tax Refund, which may be claimed when you leave Canada. Goods or services consumed or used while in Canada are not eligible for rebates. Your total receipts must be over $200.00 in Canadian funds before taxes including accommodation and on individual goods receipts of $50.00 in Canadian funds before taxes minimum.

Expect a longer delay during rush hour and on your return back to Michigan. The US border patrol, post 9/11, has tightened border crossings. Expect to be asked a lot of questions such as why you want to come back, what you did while you were in Canada, what you have in the car, who is in your car and why. Cooperate if asked to pull over for a search.

Enjoy your visit to Canada!

Attractions in Detroit
Home of the Detroit Lions

Located in the heart of downtown Detroit’s entertainment district, Ford Field is an industry-leading sports and entertainment development that hosts - in addition to Lions football - sporting events, concerts, banquets, corporate meetings, special events and much more.

Ford Field, the new home of the Detroit Lions, is comprised of approximately 1.85 million square feet with four levels of suites, a level of club seating, and a ground level designated for restaurants, concessions and retail.

The unique design incorporates the old Hudson’s warehouse (established in the 1920’s) as part of the industry-leading sports and entertainment development that will include banquet facilities, restaurants, office space, retail services, food courts, lounge areas and all private suites.

The $500 million complex boasts a seven-story atrium within the warehouse. At the end of the atrium (the southeast corner of the stadium) is a glass wall, which provides a picturesque view of the Detroit skyline.

Ford Field claims the best sight lines of any football stadium in the United States. This is because the design omits the traditional club and suite levels, thereby lowering the upper level.

There are a total of 65,000 seats, including 8,500 club seats that feature wide padded seats, private lounges, upscale food service, and preferred parking.

There are plans to host up to 120 events during the first year of operation, including Detroit Lions football games, sporting events, concerts, banquets, tradeshows, business meetings, and conventions. The expected combined attendance of all events in the first year is 1.5 million people.

We are certain that the excitement of the National Football League, coupled with an unrivaled mix of high-end entertainment, will make for a year-round family destination that is fun, first-class and distinctively Detroit.

Comerica ParkDetroit, Michigan

Located in downtown Detroit, Comerica Park promises to play a major part in the revitalization of the city. The $360 million ballpark has old fashioned touches, like brick and steel construction and asymmetrical dimensions. However, there are many modern aspects, like a sunken playing field, rides for the kids, state-of-the-art facilities and one of the largest scoreboards in sports. The park could also eventually have a retractable roof.

Fans in Comerica Park have an open view of downtown over the right-field fence. They also have more room. Although the ballpark takes up more land than Tiger Stadium, it seats 12,000 fewer people. Comerica Park is not the only sports facility in the neighborhood. Ford Field, the new home of the Detroit Lions football team, is located next door.

In December 1998, Comerica Incorporated, a Detroit-based financial services company, agreed to pay the Tigers $66 million over a 30-year period for naming rights at the new ballpark.

A new, closer left field fence was added before the 2004 season. While the distance down the left field line remains unchanged, the distance from home plate to every other part of the left field fence was reduced. In 2005, the bullpens were moved into the gap between the old and new left field fences. The old bullpens in right field were replaced by bleachers, expanding the ballpark's capacity by 950 seats.

A few examples of what Comerica Park introduced to fans visiting downtown Detroit since the summer of 2000 include a carousel, a ferris wheel, a mammoth water feature in center field that can be choreographed to any music, a decade-by-decade pedestrian museum enveloping the main concourse. But wait, there is also a field with a game being played as well.

Tigers owner Mike Ilitch played a direct role in designing the facility and brought years of family entertainment experience to the process.

"If the fans feel the pride that this is their park, and a pride of ownership, then we've accomplished what we set out to do," said Ilitch.

An Urban Village
Comerica Park itself is built around the configuration of the playing field. All planning efforts established fan sight lines as the highest priority. The surrounding "outbuildings," however, conform to the property boundaries of Montcalm, Witherell, Adams, and Brush Streets.

As one enters these boundaries, Comerica Park appears rooted at the center of an urban village, a village that includes shops, restaurants, offices, and other attractions. Eight, two- and three-story buildings of varying sizes and heights make up this village of outbuildings which houses many of the service facilities surrounding the park. Roughly 70,000 square feet of retail space is included and another 36,000 square feet is dedicated to Tigers offices. The result is a landscape that blends into the surrounding street life of Foxtown and with no upper deck outfield seats, no ballpark offers a better view of a downtown skyline than Comerica Park.

The Concourses
The concourses are among the most generous of any facility. The minimum width of the main concourse is 40 feet, with wider concourses in many areas. The upper concourse is approximately 34 feet wide. The general standard for concourses in existing ballparks is 32 feet in width. Concourses at old Tiger Stadium were between 17 and 27 feet on the lower level and measured 11 feet behind the last row of the lower deck and 11 feet in the upper level.

The Walk of Fame
Touring the main concourse, fans are taken through time on a tour of baseball and lifestyle history. The concourse is divided into different eras from the 20th century, and as the fan progresses on his or her walk, they move into a different time frame of history. Decade Monuments covering two decades each are placed throughout the concourse, towering from floor to ceiling and featuring artifacts from the appropriate eras. Heading into the next century, plans call for "The Walking Museum" to be incorporated into the upper concourse as well.

The Scoreboard
Comerica Park features a main scoreboard that is one of the largest in baseball. The face of the structure, in fact, is equivalent to the size of the face of the Fox Theatre Office Building facing Woodward Avenue (180' wide). The structure includes one video screen (42'x24'), one large black and white matrix board with the line score (64'x34'), and a color matrix board (42'x24').

And old-time, out-of-town scoreboard is placed at field level within the wall in right-center field, and a Pitch Information board alerts fans to the speed of each pitch thrown in the game.

Concessions Facilities and Food Court
Typical ballparks have a point of sale (register) for every 200 fans; Comerica Park abbreviates the wait with one point of sale for every 125 fans. Among the features are the "Brushfire Grill" barbecue area behind third base and the Big Cat Court food area behind first base, with a wide range of snacks, sandwiches, frozen treats, and other great munchies.

Carousel, Ferris Wheel, and Water Feature
In the middle of the food court, a merry-go-round is available for the young and young-at-heart, with patrons riding atop tigers instead of horses. Behind the Brushfire Grill stands a baseball-themed ferris wheel. Center field features a giant water feature, "Liquid Fireworks" that synchronizes music to spraying fountains of water.

Seating Levels and Capacities
There are approximately 23,000 seats in the lower bowl of Comerica Park and 2,000 in the two suite levels. There are roughly 11,000 in the main upper deck. From just past first base to the right-field foul line there is a section with 4,000 seats that does not have a suite level. Therefore, the upper deck in this level is approximately 15 feet lower and closer to the field than the main upper deck.

Premium Seating Areas
Comerica Park features five premium seating areas. The Tiger Den was the first of its kind in baseball. Located at the upper rows of the lower bowl, it resembles the fashionable boxes at old-time sporting venues with moveable chairs. A private Tiger Den lounge is available for patrons. The first five rows of the upper bowl have been designated as Club Seats. Another premium seating area is located in the lowest rows of the lower bowl, called On-Deck Circle seats. Additionally, there are two levels of suites, which includes several party suites that are available for individual game rental. The Champions Club is a premium seating area that combines the space of nine suites into a private club. Members enjoy a free buffet meal, private bar, plasma-screen TV's and the memorabilia case which holds the Tigers 1968 & 1984 World Series trophies.

The Tiger Club
The Tiger Club, open on a membership basis, features approximately 20,000 square feet of entertaining space. There is seating for 300 overlooking the playing field in right field, a bar for 200, a cigar bar, and banquet facility.

Special Needs Access
Comerica Park complies with all guidelines of the ADA. In completing the facility, the Tigers worked extensively with organizations including The Paralyzed Veterans of America's Michigan Chapter and the Michigan Commission for the Blind to ensure accessibility for all fans and a great baseball experience for every guest who enters Comerica Park.

Gated Entrances
There are three main gated entrances to Comerica Park, each featuring attractions on a grand scale. Among the features are immense 80-foot high baseball bats framing the gates, tiger sculptures, and Pewabic tile accents.

Fox Theatre

Fox Theatre (2211 Woodward Ave. Detroit, MI 48201-3467) near Grand Circus Park in downtown Detroit, Michigan is a National Historic Landmark from the Roaring Twenties. The Detroit Fox is the first and the largest of the Fox Theaters. With 5045 seats, it is the second largest theater in the country after the Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Built in 1928 for William Fox, founder of 20th Century Fox, it was the first movie palace to have live sound. The architect, C. Howard Crane, designed a lavish interior blend of Burmese, Chinese, Hindu, Indian and Persian motifs. There are three levels of seating, the Main Floor above the orchestra pit, the Mezzanine, and the Gallery (balcony).

Detroit's crown jewel, the Fox Theatre is the nation's second largest theatre. Alive with activity each year, the Fox has played host to some of the biggest names in show business and holds its ground as one of the top-grossing theaters of its size in the nation.

The gold, glitz and glitter that burst from the Fox's mammoth grand lobby are so overwhelmingly ornate they leave some concert-goers speechless. The opulent neo-Byzantine architecture is reminiscent of an Arabian tent, with some 300,000 glass jewels embedded in figures decorating its interior. The six-story lobby sports a two-ton chandelier.

The building, which holds a 10-story-high neon marquee, underwent an $11 million restoration in the late '80s after being badly neglected for decades. Folks working on the renovation found autographed photos of Elvis Presley and vintage movie posters in the dust-filled file cabinets of the theater's promotion office.

Also in Detroit's theater district is Orchestra Hall, home of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra. The exterior of the 10-story building features an Art Deco facade which at night is illuminated and can be seen for several blocks. The interior is a blend of Burmese, Chinese, Hindu, Indian and Persian motifs. There are three levels of seating, the Main Floor above the orchestra pit, the Mezzanine, and the Gallery (balcony). The section of Woodward Avenue in front of the entrance is red cobblestone. The Detroit Opera House is located in the theater district near Grand Circus Park.

Detroit is deep in the midst of phenomenal growth. Detroit, God’s City is now engaged in one of urban America’s greatest revitalization efforts. We’re experiencing tremendous growth along with resuscitation. Signs of this are evident in every area of our city — in our neighborhoods, industrial corridors, and the central business district.

With upgraded bond ratings and billion-dollar developments, Detroit — the Motor City — is accelerating to a better quality of life for its residents and visitors. Truly, “It’s a Great Time in Detroit!” We invite you to “come Grow with us!”

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